Now that the holidays are over, I've been busy dreaming of what beautiful knits I can make for MYSELF! I love gifting hand knits, don't get me wrong, but this year I've decided to knit more for moi. We'll see how long that lasts... so far so good though. I have my first selfish FO to share with you, but before I do that I want to introduce you to this week's sponsor, cosymakes. Meet Cosy...

Thank you, Cosy for visiting us and being our lovely sponsor this week! I stumbled across Cosy's Etsy shop while browsing for new yarns a couple months back, and I couldn't resist picking up a skein of her snapdragon light fingering yarn. It's a 100% wool and 700 yards! I also love that Cosy uses greener shades dyes, which are more friendly to our Mother Earth. Check out the beautiful Spring Leaves stole I knit up for MYSELF!

By the way, this is a free pattern! You can check out my Rav project notes here.

Cosy is generously sponsoring this week's giveaway. ONE lucky follower has the chance to win a copy of the Mixed Knits e-book and 2 skeins of hand dyed yarn from her Etsy shop (this does not include handspun yarn and fiber). Also, TWO runners up will each receive 2 individual PDF patterns of their choice. Check out Cosy's fabulous patterns here!

I would like you to do the following if you would like to be entered into this week's giveaway:

Lovely Spring Leaves! I just finished knitting one myself, the lace pattern is so much fun and really beautiful.I've got all sorts of things lined up for this year, but definitely more for me than others. A hooded cardigan (Kerrera), something in entrelac and lots of shawls... and probably a lot more.ilina (on rav)

I'm planning to knit more for myself and a little bit for my 3 girls. (I would like very much to knit more for them but seems they do not appreciate it at this stage). So shrugs and cardigans and a special summer wrap.

I'm knitting squares in different stitches and colours (using up my stash determined to get rid of it all) to make a throw. I also want to knit one pair of socks a month and would also like to make a shawl for myself. I love your spring leaves stole so might give that a whirl. Promised my grandson a Thomas the Tank engine jumper but I'm not too good on using more that two colours so keep putting it off and promised my granddaughter a fairy blanket - on Ravelry but same problem with colours!!

I have four projects in mind for this year - a cardigan (in progress) for my daughter, and a colorwork yoke sweater in unspun icelandic, a pair of TARDIS socks, and a lace tunic for myself. I may or may not get it all done; I'm starting a new job soon and planning a move, this year's gonna be hectic!

Cosy follows perfectly after yarnia. I never thought of mixing handspun with commercial yarn. Must give that a try. This year I'm doing many more KAL with folksnin my knitting group and my goal is to keep my ravelry page up to date.

I am definitely trying to knit more for myself. I'm also trying to knit up some of my stash. And I'm participating in some knit alongs at the beginning of the year that I'm very excited about! PS just added Spring Leaves to my faves- looks so pretty!

I have to admit I prefer knitting to myself, but do knit to others as well. This year my goal is to complete at least 6 pairs of socks, 12 pairs of fingerless mitts (some gifts, some for me) and maybe sweater for myself if I have the time. Love Spring Leaves!

I have plans for a few things for myself, and I'll probably try to make gifts for friends and family as well. I really want to try making something along the lines of my first sweater (I might start out with something a little smaller like a bolero).

i plan to use up my stash which means i'll have several pairs of socks and shawlettes. i want to learn how to properly seam and finish a pieced sweater. will give a few things away, but only to those i know who really appreciate my hand knits, like my mom, whose feet are always cold!

My first goals involve finishing or frogging old WIPs and turning them into FOs. Then I also want to use most of my stash, because I feel guilty with all this lovely yarn and fiber not getting used!! I'm also hoping to knit more for myself, and to use my other crafty pursuits (namely sewing) to make gifts for others so my needles can focus mostly on ME. :)

A. Finish what's on the needles -2 sweaters, one sock (the other is done).B. Make another mitt for my daughter. (the first one was too small for me so I made a larger pair and offered the other plus a mate for her itty bitty hands.)C. Make Susan Anderson's Giraffe for my grandaughter. (And maybe a sweater or two.)C. More socks. D.A fingering weight cowl. E.More sweatersF. A jacket from yarn that is currently sitting 3500 miles away from me, waiting to be shipped.G. Ditto for some Mochi yarn for a shawl.H. MORE socks.

Oh my. It looks like my typing fingers are a lot faster than my knitting ones!

I do want to knit more for myself this year. I've just finished one long-ufo'ed vest and have started a sweater. I would like to ease off on the gift knitting, but it's so hard not to knit something for the people I love. Just...need...more...time! Thanks for the chance to win!

Beautiful shawl and lovely Cosey yarn! My kniting plans for the upcoming year are to finish up UFOs! I have far too many unfinished projects and needles stranded in them! So I hope to finish up some languishing projects and feel better about plans for future projects. I also want to knit some stranded mittens, a sweater for myself and each of my family members. -Jessica (stripedsocks on Rav)

My knitting plans for this year...wow that's a question. My queue is a mile long! Currently I'm working on projects for loved ones, but my big plan for this year is to get my wip's under control (and a lot of those are for me!).

Wellllll.....after knitting like mad for others for Christmas I now have plans to knit for me. First finishing off a custom sweater for DH, then first thing on my list is a skirt in Noro for myself, knit on the bias (so as not to cause droopy-bum syndrome as so many knit skirts seem to succumb to). Then, who knows, lots in the stash to inspire. :) Happy Knitting.

I would love to knit more gifts this year. I generally knit for myself because I generate an attachment to my FOs. I want to learn to let them go and let other people enjoy what I enjoyed knitting. Thanks for the giveaway!

I have more sweaters in my queue than I can possibly knit, and I want to make them all! I get sidetracked by a pair of mittens here, some slippers there...and before you know it there's nothing left for me (I know, boo hoo). I'm just happy to knit and hopefully I can find a way to squeeze in some selfish knitting this year.

I browsed through Cosy's shop. She has so many lovely yarns that I had to enter.

Overall, I'd say that I knit about half for myself and half for others, which is a good ratio. I try to focus more on knitting the type of project I feel like, rather than focusing on the recipient. So, often I decide the recipient after I start the project (or even finish it).

I think I'm going to be knitting more this coming year for other people. Quite a few of my friends are in the process of having little ones - and what more of an excuse to knit cuddly toys do I need then that!

Gorgeous! I'm knitting three big things this year..I just got engaged on Xmas so I'm knitting shawls for my two bridesmaids and my wedding shawl so by the time my wedding rolls around in 2012, I'll be all set!

My boyfriend is always telling me that I don't knit enough for myself. So.. this year, my focus is "me knitting." Of course, I'll be making things for my little girl, and whatever may come along, but he's right. I'm always knitting and have very little to show for it since it mostly gets given away. So, my goal this year is to focus on knitting for myself. To start me off, the boyfriend gifted me some lovely vicuna handspun to be knit into something lovely for (as he puts it) me and nobody else hehe

I had just been looking at Cosy's Pixie hat -- so I really hope I win! I have changed the name of my birthday month to "Debruary" and will knit only for myself that month -- a reward for all the gift knitting that I will do the rest of the year. The fact that it's the shortest month anyway helps ease the guilt a little . . .

I don't have many specific goals for the year. At the moment, I am knitting baby hats for a charity (I've knit 7 so far and I want to knit at least 10 before the deadline) and I'm knitting a hat for myself. I guess my biggest goal would be to knit a cardigan for myself someday, but apart from those things, I'll probably just be knitting for my friends as usual.

2011 is the Stash Busting Year for me. I am doing a self imposed sock club, which so far is doing well. Another goal is to knit 4 shawls this year. and if it have time left over i would like to knit 1 sweater. All this knitting will probally be a mix of knitting for myself and gift knitting for Christmas 2011 :-) This will probally be more of a selfish year though with the occasional gift :-) Thanks for the lovely giveaway

I love to find out about new yarns so a big thanx for your research! This years is a mixed bag again - some for family, some for charity, and some for moi (actually, frogging and re-knitting a flop from last year!!)

I keep looking at Cosy's Reflection hat pattern. I think it would look stellar in orange and blue.Your shawl is quite beautiful. I'm tempted to click on the link.I knitted 59 things in 2010 to try to deplete part of my stash but my stash grew bigger. So I hope to knit out of the stash in 2011 and I plan to keep some items for me!

I'm probably going to be knitting in fairly equal amounts for myself and for others. I'm planning to make felted mittens for a bunch of people on my Christmas gift list, and my resolution for this year is to start soon so I'm not in a crazed state next November!

That yarn is so lovely! We just found out my sister's pregnant with a girl, so there's lots of frilly little knitting projects lined up! But I'm also intent on knitting more for myself - and working on my learning to spin!

Your spring leaves is amazing! What a beautiful color by cosymakes. Well, I knit 11 projects for Christmas presents this year, more than I have ever done. This year? I'm being a selfish knitter. Is that horrible?

I'll probably end up knitting more for other people this year, but I think this will also be the first year I knit MYSELF a sweater (instead of all those adorable babies that keep coming into my life). The possibility makes this feel a little more like a "knit more for myself" year.

I will continue to knit for myself, not worry about having too many WIPs and learn how to spin. Two weeks ago I ordered and received some wonderful roving from Cosymakes and it is beautiful. Now do I save it until I am a better spinner or dive into it?

I actually want to do more crocheting in 2011! But I always knit more for others than I do for myself, but this year I'm going to probably have to scale back on that in order to get my own woolie online business up and going again...

This may be the year bite the bullet and dive into a husband sweater. Also, I've got a niece on the way, so she'll need to be outfitted. That's it for set in stone gift knitting though, so I'll be getting a few things myself as well :)

My biggest knitting goal for myself this year is to start and finish the chullo hat pattern/kit I bought to make for my teen son. It's the biggest color work project I have planned to do since learning to knit a little over a year ago. I would also like to learn enterlac. Not sure why it scares me so, but I think it is so pretty.

I love this blog and thank Cosy for introducing it to me. I will be back to visit. Hopefully to give you my mailing address. :-D JK Regardless, I will be visiting your blog regularly.

Your Spring Leaves is gorgeous! My plans for this year are to knit more things for myself . . . so far that isn't going well. I have two hats and two pairs of socks on the needles and none of them are for me . . .

I am hoping to finally knit my husband a sweater. We've been together 15 years, after all, so he probably deserves one by now! We'll pick out the yarn at one of the local wool festivals this spring and hopefully I'll have it done by this time next year.

I'm hoping to continue the trend I started partway through last year of just knitting more, *making* time to knit each day or as often as I can, and actually finishing things as well. So, higher project turnover, I guess! I like knitting for others but mostly knit for me, because most of my family & friends don't like or wear knits.

Yay for Cosy! I've loved spinning up her fiber for the last couple of years and I'm dying to try her hand dyed yarns :) This year I'm knitting up a bunch of Ysolda & Stephen West patterns as well as designing some of my own pattern. My goal is to put out 2 pattern e-books before I have to start my Christmas knitting.

I am a huge fan of Cosy's patterns and yarn, so I was really pleased to see your interview with her. My plans for knitting this year include: finishing my Christmas 2010 knitted gifts. Ug!!! My daughter was born 3 weeks ago, so I have a feeling that most of my knitting will be to fill her closet and keep her warm. I bought Cosy's "baby beau" pattern a while back am looking forward to trying my hand at it. Thanks!

My knitting this year will be a mix of for me and for others. I'm in the middle of knitting baby blankets for friends who are having twins and I need to do wristwarmers for my mom to match her cowl and I should, finally, knit that sweater I've been promising DH. However, I think I'm also going to tackle a shawl for me, which may be a most of the year effort!

I am most likely going to knit for family, friends and charity mostly. I just looked at my Ravelry project page and noticed almost everything on it was for someone else. That's how I roll!Thanks for having such a great giveaway!Ellen (ellenronnie on Ravelry)

So far I've knit more for my family. I made my youngest sister, who's 3, a pink hat and scarf over the holidays. Apparently she wore the hat to school the other day. When she took it off, she looked at it and said: "Oh my gosh, this is perfect." :)

My knitting plan for this year is to alternate big projects with little ones. I just finished a huge sweater for my brother so now I'm making a little teddy bear for my sister. Next I'll make another sweater for my husband this time then maybe something small for me. It keeps me motivated and helps me not be overwhelmed. Thanks for the giveaway! It looks amazing.

Ooh, that shawl is gorgeous. And so are Cosy's yarns. Plus, I now MUST make myself a reflection hat - so pretty!

Sadly, I am on a really tight budget this year (to save for an amazing trip, but still) so I am on a total yarn diet. My knitting plans for the year involve figuring out how to use up the yarn I already have in my stash, since I can't buy more!

My knitting plan for this year is definitely to knit more for myself and my husband. I normally knit for many other people, but it's time to bring it closer to home. I just finished a simple, stripy sweater for myself last night and started a complicated, cabley 1 this morning. :)

I made a blanket for my mom, socks for my twin, and a scarf for my dad. This year is going to be a year to make some stuff for me! Loving that leaf pattern by the way--I've a beautiful brown and green in fingering weight that I got from my LYS, so I'll give it a try.

I need to finish two sweaters I started last year all for myself, if I do any other knitting it will be for charity, mostly baby and young children things. And of course a couple pairs of socks in between

I have resolved to learn to knot socks this year ... and winter jerseys for my boys (were in the Southern Hemisphere so I still have a few months) and gifts for new babies in the family. It's going to be a busy time.

Your shawl looks gorgeous. This year I am on a quest to knit ALL my gifts! And if I can't knit some I will buy handmade from Etsy so I can support my fellow craftsmen;) Actually I plan on shopping Etsy for handmade soaps etc. that will go nice with hand knit washcloths. I'm joining in with Kristyn for her ADVENTure 2011 :)

I'm planning to knit a lot of socks this year, as well as a "Haruni" shawl for myself (which is already in progress). My queue on Ravelry is too long already but that doesn't stop me from adding and adding and adding... =)I will maybe knit some stuff for my boyfriend, but apart from that it's going to be a very selfish year, knitwise. And purlwise as well, for that matter.

I'm hoping to get more knitting done this year! I started slacking off in December because I upped my training for a marathon this spring. I have figured out how to knit on the stationary bike, now if I can manage it on the treadmill I should be in good shape.

I'm actually mostly into crochet - so I don't know if I'm an imposter! - and this year I am actually aiming to make some things to sell at a little market stall. But I also have wee nieces and nephews in my line-up. I did do a little knitting last year and would like to do some more.

I always say that I am going to knit more for others, but in reality, I am a very selfish knitter. I have discovered "nicer yarns" aka not wal-mart yarn and of course they are more costly. Plus, I am a slow knitter so most projects take me forever. I guess to sum it up, I am still going to selfishly knit for me ... until Christmas.

Since I only have 1 thing that I have knit I am sure most of the things I make this year will be for others. I need to make a shawl for my grand daughter's birthday. I am going to show her the spring leaves. It is so pretty I am sure she will pick that one.

Since I'm still teaching myself to knit, and I've finally made socks (!) my plan for 2011 is to make myself a sweater. I'm selfish and should be knitting for others, but dang it, I want a sweater made by me for me! I think, I really think, I can do this!

This year I plan on doing a bit more selfish knitting - I've started already with an Apres Surf Hoodie. I also plan on doing a fair bit of knitting for my girls, though that will mostly be new design prototypes!

If I knit anything else for myself I don't know where I would put it. The closet and drawers are full. The same goes for family members. Everyone has so many knitted items. That is why, for me, 2011 is the "knit for charity year". I have to knit everyday or I feel that something is missing. So others are going to benefit from my addiction.

After Holiday gift knitting throughout fall January I kniot something for myself. Resolutions? I want to knit up a good deal of my stash, and start on holiday gifts earlier this year. I also want to tackle L A C E this year

I'm working on more stuff for me, but that doesn't mean stuff for others is out of the running. i'm still working on hats for three friends and some fingerless gloves for a friend and for my mom. plus mom's socks that i just bought the yarn for...

but I'm making myself a sweater, a shawl, and designing some colourwork mittens that will make me really happy... next winter! :p

I just looked at Cosy's patterns and yarns, etc. and really liked a lot of them! Very creative gal. I rarely, like never for a long time, knit an item for myself. However, all the knitting I do is for me - for my own learning experience, for my pleasure, or for the good feeling that comes with giving someone an item that I have made especially for them. I already have a few WIP's that are designated for certain others. :-)

I don't care much who the end product is for, but I want to knit more for me in the sense of knitting what I want when I want. Too often I feel like I "have to" knit a particular thing (b/c someone's waiting on it or I have bought the yarn, etc) and then I don't enjoy the process. I'm going to spread out my Christmas knitting so it's more enjoyable. And I plan to make a ton of mittens this year. I just have a hankering.

I am going to try and balance my knitting for myself, for others, and for sale. I have monkeys to knit for my Etsy Shop and I also have at least one baby project to work on in the next 7 months. Other than that I plan on knitting something for myself and my husband.

My knitting plans incldue ALOT of baby knitting for my sweet new bundle due in July. Alot of Susan B. Anderson and Kate Oats in my future. I think one of those Spring Leaves might just be required as well.......~Jessica (MonkeyButtBabies on Ravelry)

I have so many plans for this year I don't know where to start! This is my first year without homework in a long time so I am really excited to have more time for guilt-free knitting. I'm planning a mix of gifts for friends and family and warm woolies for me.

I'm hoping to knit more for others this year...not sure how well that will go though! I love Cosy's spinning fiber but haven't had a chance to knit anything with her yarns yet so would love the opportunity!

Beautiful stole - and beautiful yarn! As always, thanks for the contest. I have some wedding knitting to do this year - daughter #1 will be tying the knot in August. Otherwise, it will be the usual mix of gifts and charity, with some for me sneaking in every so often.

This year I'm starting off with a bolero shrug to wear with a dress for 6 weddings I've been invited to. I'm also doing a pair of socks in a lovely cashmere mix for my future sister in law. After that I have plans for more socks for ME!

I would like to knit more for myself, but I just have too much fun knitting gifts! I have several WIPs for me, which keep getting put into "hibernation" while I knit for nieces, sister, coworkers, etc.

I plan to knit more for myself, but I do enjoy giving so much. My 'for me' declaration may only last 'til I see a really nice yarn or pattern that would look great with someone else. (Especially if it looks fun.)

I'm going to be knitting mainly for myself this year. I know it's selfish but when I make things for others I put myself under too much pressure and am never satisfied with the result.When I knit for me I feel much more content! so sheer indulgence for me!

I have plans to knit for the little ones more, and for me more! Hahaha! I know I am delusional. But my teenage stepdaughter just moved in with us, and she's jealous of all our handknits. The 5yo is able to express her desires for handknits. We'll see how much other knitting I can fit in.

Yay Cosy! I'm planning to finish up a wedding shawl for one of my friends, who has no idea it's coming...ssh! Otherwise, since I live in CA, I'll probably end up knitting lots of hats and mittens for my niece and nephew in Michigan.

Thanks for sharing this fun new etsy site with us. For 2011, I'm already starting to knit more for others this year as I've got a couple scarves and cowls made to give to nieces (grown ladies with kids) as a just-because-I love-you gift.

My knitting goal for this year is to finish more projects! I also want to knit the sweater for my husband that I planned 4 years ago and never started. But not until I finish my current WIPs! I love Cosy's patterns and her beautiful dyeing.

I am going to try to knit more for myself this year. Except I have to knit for the babies! Our family is expecting 2 this year....other than the babies it's me me me!!! I love your Spring Leaves! I just might have to make me one!!

My biggest plan for the year is to finish a sweater. You notice I said finish? Yeah, I started it last June I think but the scads of things I knitted for other people put off that project. Really, just one sweater. Of course that's after the teapot cosy, the arm warmers, the lace shawl, etc.

I've gone Cold Sheep and proclaimed 2011 my Year of No Yarn Purchases. This is to focus my knitting attention on my stash of lovely yarns I've paired up with patterns of things I MUST HAVE and insure that I have them before I get over them. I'm also knitting more for gifts, since nothing lessens the distance of being a quarter of the world away from home like hand knits made with love. Thank goodness I have so many knit worthy friends and family members!

Checked out Cozy's etsy shop - very nice yarn ! My 2011 plan for myself - knit from stash yarn as much as possible . At the end of the year maybe i will have given myself an extra shelf or two of closet space ! For my family I'll continue to make mostly hats and mittens - always like to know i am helping to keep them warm.

I'm going to try to learn some more complex knitting skills this year - so will be knitting for myself until I get it nailed. Can't go torturing my loved ones with the mutant offspring of my learning curve!!

I have two pairs of socks to finish for myself, and a sweater for my mother. The problem is, I put her sweater down so long ago, I'm not sure I'll be able to figure out where I was.These things happen, I suppose!Thanks for the great giveaway!beax0002 (at) umn (dot) edu

I'll be doing some of both. I did a lot of Christmas knitting, now I'm concentrating more on my designing. I like to keep the first item I knit up with each new pattern I design. So depending on how much I design this year....we'll see how many handknits I end up with!

Well... I've already committed my current 4 projects to give to others; sweater, hooded cloak, cabled mittens, and felted tote. And I have various baby socks in process that I'm pretty sure I won't be wearing anytime soon. I'd love to knit for myself, but I get so much joy from giving it all away!!

My plans for this year include more for me, and teaching my 8 year old son to knit so I don't have to do his scarves and mittens. I've got 3 cardigans on the go atm and a pair of mittens I'm designing the basic pattern for as well as a shawl to knit and a pair of socks in my handspun.

My plans for this year include making a dent in the stash I accumulated last year. I mostly knit for myself, but do make things for others as the opportunity occurs. I'm thinking about knitting hats for my nieces.